Step 1: Set your budget. By figuring out what you should spend, that will determine how much computer you can get.

Step 2. Figure out your uses. Decide on form factor (tablet, laptop, desktop, AIO, etc.). Consider what accessories you have already, as paying extra for a more expensive Wi-Fi adaptor might not make sense if you don’t have the latest version in your router for example. If you do gaming or video/photo editing, then you will need a much more powerful computer then if you are just surfing the internet and sending emails. If battery life is important, be prepared to have a less powerful device. However, my rule of thumb is buy the most powerful computer your money will buy you, because then if in a year, you decide to start taking pictures, then your computer will be more likely to do it (it also stands to last longer as it will keep pace with software updates better).

Step 3: Research! Refresh your self on what various terms mean. Hit up review websites like http://www.computerworld.com/http://arstechnica.com/http://www.pcworld.com/ and look for top 10 lists for the type of computer you want (make sure you check the date!). By doing this on several different sites, you should get an idea of some of the top models, what features and specs they have, and what they’re like.

Step 4. Shop! Regardless of if you are going to stores or buying online, go to several different stores, see what they have, and what sort of deals they have. If your going to stores, play with them as much as you can and get a feel for them. MAKE A LIST OF THE ONES THAT YOU LIKE! Be sure to right down the model number (ie: Lenovo Y500).

Step 5. Research Again! Now that you have some models you like, hit up google and type in <Computer Model> review. That should hopefully bring up a few options, just use your judgement on how reliable the reviewer might be (jimmy’s computer thingys reviews might not be as useful as PC World, but it may still have some useful details.). Narrow it down till you pick the one you want.

Step 6. Buy! If you are still not 100% set on one style, look around and see what the best deal you can find is, and buy that. If there is just the one style for you, go ahead and buy it at the best price you can get it from a reputable place (again, I wouldn’t buy from Jimmy’s computer thingys store.).

Step 7. Set it up and Enjoy it! Hopefully you know have a PC that you can enjoy for years to come.

Any recommendations?

I’ve had good luck with my Lenovo Y-series pc, but it is more gaming focused than some might want. Also my wife has been using Macs for a long time, and has been happy with it.

Should I get a Mac or a Windows 10 computer?

That’s a highly subjective question. Basically, at this point if an app is going to work on Windows 10, it will by now. I have had few issues with it (aside from an annoying wired internet problem that somehow corrected itself!) and generally really like it. OS X is just different enough that you must relearn a lot of things. But those that have made the switch seem to like it. I would consider the following factors. Are you willing to spend time learning a new operating system vs adapting to a new update? Are the apps and programs you use available? Can you afford to buy a system that does what you want?

My Nexus 7 is running slow, what can I do?

Back up any data you care about. Then reset it (hard reset is preferable. Just make sure there is nothing left behind on the tablet!). Use this guide to reset your device. https://www.androidpit.com/how-to-reset-the-nexus-7-2013 Once that’s done, check for updates (which you don’t want to do when they’re rolling out new updates, but is fine now, especially as the Nexus 7 isn’t getting more updates than what’s available now. Once its updated as much as possible, then reinstall your apps (avoid installing to many, as over loading your tablet with apps can slow things down.) and then you should be good to go! Another option is to monitor what apps are running in the background. Use the app Greenshot However, there are going to be no more updates for it, and it will increasingly be a security risk. You may want to consider a new tablet.

Can I use my old tablet for anything?

Sure, there’s lots of things that you can use it for. I would recommend getting rid of as many apps as possible, installing a good book reading app (kindle, kobo or some other app (I like Aldiko), put it in airplane mode, and you have a nice little e-reader. There’s lots of other things you can do, so go on google and see what options there might be! Here’s some ideas http://www.laptopmag.com/articles/uses-for-an-old-android-tablet​